Chain saws are typically used to fell trees, trim branches, and cut a variety of materials, among other tasks. They generally include an engine enclosed within a housing, a guide bar extending from the housing, and an endless saw chain loop that may include various links such as, but not limited to, cutter links, center links, side links, tie straps, and drive links. Through use, the cutting surfaces of various links may become dulled and worn. As the cutting surfaces experience wear, an increased amount of force is required to produce a desired cut, which is inefficient and consumes energy. Therefore, cutter links of saw chains are periodically sharpened to maintain efficiency in a cutting operation.
One method of sharpening cutter links includes positioning a sharpening element (e.g. an abrasive stone) within the housing of the chain saw. The sharpening element may be positioned so as to contact the various saw chain links as they traverse a drive sprocket, typically at high speeds. These systems, however, have drawbacks. For example, one or more grooves may be worn into the surface of the sharpening element from the repeated contact of the various saw chain links. These grooves may cause the cutting edge to become deformed during the sharpening process or otherwise negatively impact the ability to maintain a proper cutting edge. Any deformation in the cutting edge may ultimately impact the ability of the chain saw to cut various materials.
Additionally, the positioning of the abrasive stone and the high speed at which the cutter links traverse the drive sprocket may result in the unintentional impact of cutter links into the abrasive stone. This tendency may result in an interface that allows undesired movement of the cutter relative to the stone (e.g. tipping or rocking), and/or it may also serve to deform the cutter link, any of which may ultimately result in a decrease in performance.